After-school program to reduce obesity in minority children: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Community health
• Pediatric obesity
• After-school programs

Background:

• Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern, particularly among minority populations.
• Community-based after-school programs offer a potential avenue for intervention.
• America SCORES Bay Area is a program serving diverse elementary school students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the America SCORES after-school program on obesity and fitness in minority children.
• To assess changes in body mass index (BMI) z-score and fitness levels over an eight-month period.
• To explore potential effect modification by race on program outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 178 third- through fifth-grade students (Latino, Asian, African-American) enrolled in America SCORES participated.
• Outcomes measured included program attendance, changes in the 20-meter shuttle test for fitness, and BMI z-score.
• Data were collected at baseline and after eight months of program participation.

Main Results:

• At baseline, 52% of participants were overweight or obese.
• Children attending SCORES more than 4 days per week showed significant fitness improvements (p < 0.01).
• Overall BMI z-score decreased slightly (-0.04, p = 0.10), with a larger decrease in obese children (-0.05, p = 0.08), but increased in African-American children.

Conclusions:

• The America SCORES program effectively enhances fitness in minority children.
• The program shows a potential, though not statistically significant, positive impact on BMI z-scores, particularly for obese children.
• Race may modify the program's effect on BMI, possibly due to differential growth or engagement; further investigation via a randomized trial is recommended.